Communication systems generally referred to as Wired Loop Plans (WLP) have been implemented or proposed for various regions of the earth to either provide a basic communication system or to augment already existing systems. However, WLP systems must be accurate in their planning, can experience long delays in the roll out of services due to obtaining rights of way and environmental considerations, have a high cost/subscriber ratio, are susceptible to outages due to natural disasters, theft, and political instabilities, and also have high up-front costs.
In an effort to avoid or minimize such problems Wireless Local Loop (WLL) terrestrial communication systems have been introduced, especially in developing countries. Wireless Local Loop systems avoid some of the problems inherent in WLP systems, but are still expensive to implement due to their typically smaller coverage areas and the need for many "cells" or base stations to provide adequate coverage.
It would thus be desirable to provide a WLL communication system that overcomes the problems inherent in the WLP systems, while also overcoming the problems inherent in existing WLL systems.
Also, commercial and other users are increasingly implementing TCP/IP protocol networks in response to the wide spread use of the Internet. At the present time it appears likely that TCP/IP will not only remain prevalent, but will need to be operable over satellite networks. Several experiments over the ACTS (Advanced Communications Technology Satellite) have shown that the TCP/IP protocol limits throughput, and analysis has shown this to be caused by the TCP window size and the TCP "Slow Start" algorithm for File Transfer Protocol. There may be alternative protocols developed to efficiently transfer information using TCP/IP (especially for satellite use), however, the installed base of equipment being deployed worldwide for using the terrestrial version of TCP/IP is expected to be dominant for many years.
It would thus also be desirable to provide a satellite-based communication system that overcomes the problems inherent in the use of conventional TCP/IP and other network protocols in a satellite-based system.
It would be further desirable to provide an ability to permit one user terminal to call another user terminal located within some region that can be serviced by at least one satellite, and to handle the call so as to minimize an amount of satellite communications system involvement in the call. In addition, it is desirable to extend the range and location of the local regional virtual gateway service areas.
Reference can be had to U.S. Pat. No.: 5,884,142, issued Mar. 16, 1999, entitled "LOW EARTH ORBIT DISTRIBUTED GATEWAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM", by Robert A. Wiedeman and Paul A. Monte, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.